Remembering the great Karl Lagerfeld

There are very few visionaries who impact the fashion industry as much as the late Karl Lagerfeld. From his freelance work at Chloé, to his ascension to creative director at Fendi, all the way to his revival of iconic Chanel, Lagerfeld has remained as one of the most powerful creatives of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Lagerfeld’s bold and enigmatic personality was just as much a topic of discussion as the grandeur of the collections he created. A modern Renaissance man, he studied and practiced several forms of artistic expression, including photography, literature and filmmaking with an unwavering devotion­­. His obsession with the arts, pop culture and modernity frequently served as his inspirations for his collections. “A conversation with Karl is not a fashion conversation — it’s a conversation, a conversation that embraces the culture of life,” said fashion journalist Andre Leon Talley.

The German designer first entered the fashion industry as Pierre Balmain’s assistant after his coat design won a design competition sponsored by the International Wool Secretariat in 1955. After three years of working at Balmain, Lagerfeld then moved to Jean Patou where he was head designer. After briefly working for Rome based couture house Tiziano, the designer then began freelancing for Chloé, ten years after his introduction to the industry. Only a year later he began working at Fendi as creative director. In 1983, Lagerfeld was approached by co-owner of Chanel, Alain Wertheimer, to breathe life back into the French house, which had been in constant decline since Coco Chanel’s death in 1971. Lagerfeld told The New York Times, “Everybody said, ‘Don’t touch it, it’s dead, it will never come back.’ But by then I thought it was a challenge.” 

He quickly revived the brand, reinterpreting Chanel’s fundamental design principles with a new flare for modernity and innovation. Lagerfeld also began to highlight the meticulous craftsmanship of Chanel’s various brands like Barrie Knitwear, Desrues and Lessage with the Métiers collections. Completely embracing the brand, he shot and directed all of Chanel’s advertising. While his work at Fendi and his own eponymous label are revered, neither compare to the greatness that he achieved with Chanel. Throughout the years, Lagerfeld produced some of fashion’s most memorable collections and moments with his various creations. Karl Lagerfeld’s love of life, fashion, art and of course, his beloved cat Choupette, will forever be missed as he is cemented as one of the greats of contemporary fashion.